Honor

I have just finished reading this. I found it both useful and inspiring, and I hope that many here will do the same. Equally insightful is the following article, which is linked within the body of the former:

Interesting article. I have considered taking up some new activity this year which would fit in with the idea of 'joining a platoon' as the article describes it. I thought archery club might be an idea. I also thought about Judo, Aikido or Systema (Russian martial arts) but I don't want to get too beaten up as I look comparatively more aristocratic than the average man in these times. Rock climbing is also of interest though I'm guessing that's more of a solitary endeavour.

Exercising martial prowess is a worthwhile pastime, but it won't fulfill the need for being in a "platoon" as the article describes - unless you're engaging in that pastime with others with whom you've made some sort of pact. As for your vanity, training should not greatly damage it. It's in competition where that occurs, but even then it's not severe - there's a guy at my job who does MMA, and if I didn't know that about him I'd think he was a pretty-boy.

Besides, don't be a faggot. The article mentioned renommierschmiss, did it not? This phenomenon was pursued by aristocraty. If your face gets a little bashed in, be proud of it. When someone asks you how you obtained your scar, you will be able to share a good cause for it - something much better than the usual ones such as "I burned myself after I left a fork in the microwave." And if they don't ask, and instead merely stare, know that in so doing they advertise their inferiority, for it is rare that one will voluntarily put himself in harm's way, and even more so for the "mere" sake of self-improvement. What marks aristocracy is its distinction from the proletariat, and these days all the proles are pretty.

Well it's a work in progress for me. I did Taekwondo for many years as a youngster and it was heaps of fun and good camaraderie. These days the whole martial arts 'scene' appears little more than sado-masochistic thuggery with all sense of honor and good will bleached out of it. It might be oversimplifying things but I see most non-gay men as having to prove their manliness through overt aggression, as if to seek vengeance from the world that wronged them.

What marks aristocracy is its distinction from the proletariat, and these days all the proles are pretty.

I generally agree. But there's also the issue of inheriting without comprehending, along with the gradual dilution of noble and royal blood. You might say true aristocracy is like a dusky jewel whereas the proletariat is like polished turd.

I think its kind of ridiculous that people treat martial arts as anything but a sport.

Even if you're the worst person in the gym/dojo/whatever, you can probably still beat 90% of the random people you come across on the street. Not because you're a badass, but because you put the time and training in required to be competent at a particular task.

I think its kind of ridiculous that people treat martial arts as anything but a sport.

I think it's kind of ridiculous that people frequently don't treat martial arts as more than a sport.

HA HA HA OPINIONS

Here we have a series of disciplines which were developed as a meditative means of bringing mind and body together, and the West turns them into status symbols ("I can kick your ass, I did Taekwondo" [pro-tip: if you did Taekwondo, no you can't]).

Well it's a work in progress for me. I did Taekwondo for many years as a youngster and it was heaps of fun and good camaraderie. These days the whole martial arts 'scene' appears little more than sado-masochistic thuggery with all sense of honor and good will bleached out of it. It might be oversimplifying things but I see most non-gay men as having to prove their manliness through overt aggression, as if to seek vengeance from the world that wronged them.

What marks aristocracy is its distinction from the proletariat, and these days all the proles are pretty.

I generally agree. But there's also the issue of inheriting without comprehending, along with the gradual dilution of noble and royal blood. You might say true aristocracy is like a dusky jewel whereas the proletariat is like polished turd.

If it's more the honor, mental/spiritual benefits you're looking for in a martial arts, I might recommend Kendo. I have a friend whose life almost revolves around it, and it seems like it's more popular and accessible than I ever would have thought. Your local university may very well have a club. Obviously Japanese sword fighting is such an impractical type of skill to know, that the whole benefit of it is a more general disciplining of the mind. My impression from my friend is that the macho stuff is non-existent in the kendo community.